Cabbie nabbed at NAIA-2 for theft

MANILA, Philippines - A taxi driver was arrested near the Ninoy Aquino International Airport Terminal 2 (NAIA-2) yesterday for allegedly speeding away with a couple’s belongings.

Airport Police Intelligence and Investigation Division (PIID) chief Alden Gay said Michael Estolada is allegedly a member of the Kuatong robbery gang operating at the airport’s four terminals.

Gay said Estolada reportedly ran away with the belongings of Australian Michael Collin Robert and his Filipina fiancée, Delia Ybanes, who flew in from Bangkok yesterday.

Robert said he was happy that Estolada was caught and their possessions returned to them. It was Ybanes’ birthday yesterday and they were about to be wed in Boracay Island next week, he said.

In his affidavit, Robert said they boarded Estolada’s taxi at the NAIA-2 departure area and asked the driver to bring them to NAIA-3 to catch their flight to Boracay.

Robert said he was shocked when he reportedly charged them $100 for the trip. He said when he protested, the driver told them to get out of the taxi. The driver then sped away, with their belongings – passports, return tickets to Australia, P12,000 and about A$1,000 in their bags – in the taxi’s trunk.

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Robert said they were able to take note of the taxi’s plate number. They reported the incident to the airport police officers, who arrested Estolada near NAIA-2.